breath technique for sleep

One effective breathing technique to help with sleep is the "physiological sigh," which involves a double inhale, ideally through the nose, followed by a long exhale through the mouth. This method helps to quickly calm the nervous system, making it a useful tool for reducing stress and potentially aiding relaxation before sleep. By emphasizing longer exhales, the heart rate slows down, which can help facilitate a state conducive to falling asleep 1 2 3.

Cyclic sighing, which involves repeating this type of sighing for five minutes a day, has been shown to reduce stress effectively, not only during practice but throughout the day, which can lead to improvements in sleep quality 4.